[5] The township is named for Fred Van Hook who helped survey the area in the early 1910s.

A Soo Line Railroad station was established at Van Hook in 1914, resulting in rapid population growth.

It is currently a thriving community on the north shore of Lake Sakakawea with both permanent and summer residents.

The southern portion of the township was flooded when Lake Sakakawea was created due to construction of Garrison Dam in the early 1950s.

[1] Racially, based on those who identified having only one race in their responses to the Census, the township was 31% White and 12% were American Indians.